Music Floods Brauer Hall at Spring Strings Concert

The MICDS Strings program continues to grow and thrive, as evidenced by the beautiful concert delivered by musicians from all three divisions Wednesday. Guests gathered in Brauer Auditorium to hear a variety of pieces.

The Lower and Middle School Beginning Ensemble started the evening with two pieces: Pictures at an Exhibition from The Great Gate of Kiev by Modest Mussorgsky and the First Movement from a theme from Symphony No. 5, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven. The Middle School Intermediate String Ensemble continued with Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 by Edvard Grieg and a Haydn Trio by Joseph Haydn. Both the Beginning and Intermediate ensemble pieces were arranged by Jeremy Woolstenhulme.

The Middle School Advanced String Quartet played Sonatina in G Major, Op. 100 by Anton Dvorak before yielding the stage to the Upper School String Ensemble, which offered Flower Song from the Opera Lakme by Leo Delibes (arr. Doris Gazda) and St. Paul’s Suite for String Orchestra (I Jig, III Intermezzo and IV Finale (The Dargason)) by Gustav Holst.

Lucy Zhao ’20 plays the violin in the Upper School Ensemble and is a Member of the 2019 Missouri All-State Orchestra, 1st Violin. She said, “Last night’s concert was incredible! It really showed the growth and process of the program. I know that for the upper school strings, we’ve prepared really hard for this concert and other musical events. I’m glad all our hard work paid off, and I can’t wait to do it again next year. It makes me so happy how much the strings program has grown, and I hope it continues to do so.”

All the musicians came together for a rousing performance of Jolly Fiddler by Jeremy Woolstenhulme.

Congratulations to all the strings musicians for their wonderful concert, and to Middle School Strings Instructor Andrew Israel and Upper School Strings Instructors Erin Hamill and David Doherty.